The present invention relates to a cake container, and more specifically, to a cake container for forming and maintaining cake batter that is heated to expand in a predetermined configuration.
Conventional cup-like containers formed by bending sheet material such as paper are known for holding poundcake and the like. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, a container body 20 comprises a bottom 21 corresponding to the bottom of a cake and a sidewall 22 protruding from the periphery of the bottom 21. The container body 20 consists of a sheet of material, which is shaped like a cup by press working. A fold 23 is defined on the surface of the material. The bottom 21 and the sidewall 22 are separated by the fold 23. Inner folds 24 and outer folds 25 are defined in the sidewall 22. The sidewall 22 is divided into a plurality of panels 26a-26c by the folds 24, 25.
Typically, aluminum foil is used as material for such a container. In this case, once the material is bent at the inner folds 24 and the outer folds 25, the folds are easy to form. Thus, the folds 24, 25 do not easily unfold, and the configuration of the sidewall 22 in the container body 20 is maintained.
If the material is made of synthetic resin, paper or the like, a restoring force that restores the material to its original flat shape is applied to the inner folds 24 and the outer folds 25 when the material is bent by press working. This leads to a problem in that the sidewall 22 loses its shape, and the intended configuration of the sidewall 22 cannot be properly maintained.
The bottom 21 and the side wall 22 form a relatively sharp corner. When manufacturing cakes, a cake in the container body 20 is moved from one step to a subsequent step by conveyers. When the container body 20 is passed from one conveyer to another, the side wall 22 and the bottom 21 are likely to be dented. The resultant cake may therefore be deformed. Further, the sharp corner about the bottom 21 causes the cooked cake to have overcooked or burnt portion about its bottom, which degrades the taste of the cake.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container in which the configuration of the sidewall in the container body is maintained by making the folds defined on the sidewall resist unfolding.